Baghdad Bakery coming to Cary

Pending inspections, owner Sue Al-Atar plans to open what she is calling the first Iraqi bakery in North Carolina next week. The bakery will specialize in samoon, a diamond-shape loaf baked in a stone oven. The oven will also turn out a flatbread similar to Indian naan.

“Only flour, yeast, water and salt are used,” says Al-Atar, who has served as a bilingual ministerial advisor to the US Embassy in Baghdad. “Samoon is at the top of the list of foods missed by Iraqi refugees when they come to this country.”

The shop will also sell a variety of specialty foods with a focus on Iraqi provenance. Eventually, Al-Atar hopes to sell takeout foods. Baghdad Bakery (744 E. Chatham St.; 919-465-0490) doesn’t yet have a website or Facebook page.

Greg Cox, the longtime N&O restaurant critic, reports restaurant news. Tune in to hear his radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF. Reach him at ggcox@bellsouth.net